Lower Physical Performance in Colder Seasons and Colder Houses: Evidence from a Field Study on Older People Living in the Community

Yukie Hayashi, Steven M. Schmidt, Agneta Malmgren Fänge, Tanji Hoshi and Toshiharu Ikaga
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Yukie Hayashi: School of Science for Open and Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3 14 1, Kohoku, Yokohama 2238522, Japan
Steven M. Schmidt: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Box 157, Lund 22100, Sweden
Agneta Malmgren Fänge: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Box 157, Lund 22100, Sweden
Tanji Hoshi: Department of Urban Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minamiosawa 1 1, Hachioji, Tokyo 1920397, Japan
Toshiharu Ikaga: School of Science for Open and Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3 14 1, Kohoku, Yokohama 2238522, Japan

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-9

Abstract: The aim of this paper was to explore the effect of seasonal temperature differences and cold indoor environment in winter on the physical performance of older people living in the community based on a field study. We recruited 162 home-dwelling older people from a rehabilitation facility in the Osaka prefecture, Japan; physical performance data were available from 98/162 (60.5%). At the same time, for some participants, a questionnaire survey and a measurement of the indoor temperature of individual houses were conducted. The analysis showed that there were seasonal trends in the physical performance of older people and that physical performance was worse in the winter compared with the autumn. Furthermore, people living in colder houses had worse physical performance. The findings indicate that keeping the house warm in the winter can help to maintain physical performance.

Keywords: indoor thermal environment; field study; frail; physical strength examination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:6:p:651-:d:101793

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